Greetings from the trail,
Good news - I did not pass the hidden campsite this morning. Instead, I quickly made my way to a large trestle, which I anticipated being 2-3km down the road. It was quite a sight standing on a tall trestle while peering over the forested valley below.
Today's route provided views of forested areas, fire ravaged areas, and views of Kelowna and Lake Okanagan. It continued on about 17km before reaching Chute Lake.
I stopped in at the Chute Lake resort for a burger and fries. It's always nice to get regular food after several days on the trail. While there, I chatted with the cook and a group of older people about my trip. They all wished me luck as I started on my way.
After another km or two, I finally reached the only shortcut I'd identified before the trip. This was obvious as the trail takes a long switchback route south before coming all the way back north about 3km away. Instead, I followed Chute Lake road down for just over 3km and saved myself about 12km of extra walking. The shortcut involved some steep downhill switchbacks, but was far better than wasting an extra day into Penticton.
After finding the trail again, I continued on for a short distance before setting up yet another bush camp. The nice thing about it is the cost. The problem is the lack of facilities and potential that I'm camping someplace I'm not supposed to.
I would take this morning's weather for the next month if I could have it. The sky was overcast and the air was cool. It really helps my energy levels to stay cool. This afternoon has turned to rain again, however.
All this rain is okay, but it makes the later part of the day pass slowly as I spend it hiding in my tent. 47 days of nothing but hiking, reading, writing, and thinking can cause one to exhaust his thinking resources.
See you on the trail,
Joshua Ganes
Friday, August 31, 2007
Thursday, August 30, 2007
Sunday, August 19, 2007 - Day 46
Greetings from the trail,
Well, today is the first day I've been truly happy to have my rain jacket. It was raining lightly when I woke up and continued throughout my hiking day. At about 10:00am, the rain picked up to a steady downpour.
I completed the Myra Canyon bypass today. The bypass is due to the 2003 fire which burnt the trestles through Myra Canyon. The book describes that section as the highlight of the Okanagan region. From the brief glimpses I saw today I can see why. Perhaps I'll return when the trestles are rebuilt in a few years.
Unfortunately, the bypass route does not follow a rail grade. As such, I spent 15km climbing and descending hills. This certainly took a toll on my legs. The journey was pleasant with the cool air and mist. I truly enjoyed my trip today.
I continued on for an hour and a half after rejoining the rail grade on the opposite side of the canyon. I was aiming for an unnamed tenting site shown on my map. When I thought I'd passed it, I decided to camp in an open sandy area just off the trail. Knowing my luck I'll pass the tenting site 10 minutes down the road tomorrow. It doesn't really matter, however, as this is a fine spot and allows me everything I need except a washroom. It was nice to set up my tent and crawl into my sleeping bag to dry up and warm up.
See you on the trail,
Joshua Ganes
Well, today is the first day I've been truly happy to have my rain jacket. It was raining lightly when I woke up and continued throughout my hiking day. At about 10:00am, the rain picked up to a steady downpour.
I completed the Myra Canyon bypass today. The bypass is due to the 2003 fire which burnt the trestles through Myra Canyon. The book describes that section as the highlight of the Okanagan region. From the brief glimpses I saw today I can see why. Perhaps I'll return when the trestles are rebuilt in a few years.
Unfortunately, the bypass route does not follow a rail grade. As such, I spent 15km climbing and descending hills. This certainly took a toll on my legs. The journey was pleasant with the cool air and mist. I truly enjoyed my trip today.
I continued on for an hour and a half after rejoining the rail grade on the opposite side of the canyon. I was aiming for an unnamed tenting site shown on my map. When I thought I'd passed it, I decided to camp in an open sandy area just off the trail. Knowing my luck I'll pass the tenting site 10 minutes down the road tomorrow. It doesn't really matter, however, as this is a fine spot and allows me everything I need except a washroom. It was nice to set up my tent and crawl into my sleeping bag to dry up and warm up.
See you on the trail,
Joshua Ganes
Saturday, August 18, 2007 - Day 45
Greetings from the trail,
Last night my left knee was hurting and was not much better this morning. The combination of pain, distances, and camping availabilities made me decide to cut my walk short at about 12km, stopping just before Myra Canyon.
Whenever I set out with a goal less than 15km away, I get in my head that the day will be a cakewalk. This never turns out to be true. Sure, 12km beats 24km any day, but it's still a significant distance to cover. That's especially true with a full load on my back.
Judging from my maps, there are no accessible water sources from Hydraulic Lake to Chute Lake. That section will take 3 days to cover. As such, I filled my water bladder with about 8 liters of water. This means that instead of the usual 3 liters and 6.6lbs of water I was carrying it will be 17.6 lbs of water. 11 extra pounds makes a big difference.
I forgot to mention that it rained yesterday. That's probably 'cause it lasted about 3 minutes and amounted to almost nothing. Today I was hit by a few slightly-more-significant periods of rain. This was after I'd found a campsite for the night. I was lying down to rest without my tent fly when I suddenly felt raindrops. I rushed out of the tent and rain proofed the camp quicker than any day previously. Sprinklings of rain continued for a couple of hours.
Today's campsite has a view of three different lakes - all of them at least 20kms away. I can also see the whole city of Kelowna from Lake Okanagan to the airport where i was just over two weeks ago. It's right on the edge of the area burnt by forest fire in 2003.
See you on the trail,
Joshua Ganes
Last night my left knee was hurting and was not much better this morning. The combination of pain, distances, and camping availabilities made me decide to cut my walk short at about 12km, stopping just before Myra Canyon.
Whenever I set out with a goal less than 15km away, I get in my head that the day will be a cakewalk. This never turns out to be true. Sure, 12km beats 24km any day, but it's still a significant distance to cover. That's especially true with a full load on my back.
Judging from my maps, there are no accessible water sources from Hydraulic Lake to Chute Lake. That section will take 3 days to cover. As such, I filled my water bladder with about 8 liters of water. This means that instead of the usual 3 liters and 6.6lbs of water I was carrying it will be 17.6 lbs of water. 11 extra pounds makes a big difference.
I forgot to mention that it rained yesterday. That's probably 'cause it lasted about 3 minutes and amounted to almost nothing. Today I was hit by a few slightly-more-significant periods of rain. This was after I'd found a campsite for the night. I was lying down to rest without my tent fly when I suddenly felt raindrops. I rushed out of the tent and rain proofed the camp quicker than any day previously. Sprinklings of rain continued for a couple of hours.
Today's campsite has a view of three different lakes - all of them at least 20kms away. I can also see the whole city of Kelowna from Lake Okanagan to the airport where i was just over two weeks ago. It's right on the edge of the area burnt by forest fire in 2003.
See you on the trail,
Joshua Ganes
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
Friday, August 17, 2007 - Day 44
Greetings from the trail,
This morning I was still slightly sore, but certainly ready for another day on the trail. The trail climbed gradually, but continually without any detours today. Today was the closest attempt ever to follow my original hiking pattern. I decided it would be best to walk 1 hour, rest 15 minutes, walk 1 hour, ...
With a clear grasp of today's distance and the security of a continuous trail, I predicted the end of my walking at 1:30pm. It came as a surprise (and a welcome one) that I arrived at about 1:00pm. Clearly I was making slightly better than 4km/hour.
Other than some good views across the valley, the trail today was quite ordinary. My struggle to regain my trail form is not quite over, as I was hurting in the later half of the day. Nothing to do but keep on keeping on.
See you on the trail,
Joshua Ganes
This morning I was still slightly sore, but certainly ready for another day on the trail. The trail climbed gradually, but continually without any detours today. Today was the closest attempt ever to follow my original hiking pattern. I decided it would be best to walk 1 hour, rest 15 minutes, walk 1 hour, ...
With a clear grasp of today's distance and the security of a continuous trail, I predicted the end of my walking at 1:30pm. It came as a surprise (and a welcome one) that I arrived at about 1:00pm. Clearly I was making slightly better than 4km/hour.
Other than some good views across the valley, the trail today was quite ordinary. My struggle to regain my trail form is not quite over, as I was hurting in the later half of the day. Nothing to do but keep on keeping on.
See you on the trail,
Joshua Ganes
Thursday, August 16, 2007 - Day 43
Greetings from the trail,
Today I traveled about 22km to the Arlington Lakes Rec Site. It felt good to be back on the trail, but I could already tell that some of my conditioning had gone down the tube in the 12 days back home. I'll have to be diligent when I get to Vancouver to make sure I don't become complacent in my health habits.
The day started with a short, but interesting stretch along a gravel road before rejoining the trail grade. The trail continued on for the rest of the day with reasonably thick tree cover. There was only one detour from the predictability of the rail grade.
Near the tiny village of Carmi, the trail swings west then east for a nearly 12km - long switchback. By cutting back to the highway it was possible to cover the distance in less than 3 kms. This of course meant I was in for some steeper climbs. I was surprised just how steep, however. To get back to the trail I followed a rough service road steeply up the side of the mountain. It was steep enough to make me stop and catch my breath several times. It felt good getting to the top. It was good both to know I was done, and to know I was still up for the challenges of the trail.
By the end of the day I was getting quite tired. The sight of my destination was very welcome. I quickly changed my boots for sandals and laid down to rest. Hopefully my sore legs will recover over night and be good to go tomorrow.
See you on the trail,
Joshua Ganes
Today I traveled about 22km to the Arlington Lakes Rec Site. It felt good to be back on the trail, but I could already tell that some of my conditioning had gone down the tube in the 12 days back home. I'll have to be diligent when I get to Vancouver to make sure I don't become complacent in my health habits.
The day started with a short, but interesting stretch along a gravel road before rejoining the trail grade. The trail continued on for the rest of the day with reasonably thick tree cover. There was only one detour from the predictability of the rail grade.
Near the tiny village of Carmi, the trail swings west then east for a nearly 12km - long switchback. By cutting back to the highway it was possible to cover the distance in less than 3 kms. This of course meant I was in for some steeper climbs. I was surprised just how steep, however. To get back to the trail I followed a rough service road steeply up the side of the mountain. It was steep enough to make me stop and catch my breath several times. It felt good getting to the top. It was good both to know I was done, and to know I was still up for the challenges of the trail.
By the end of the day I was getting quite tired. The sight of my destination was very welcome. I quickly changed my boots for sandals and laid down to rest. Hopefully my sore legs will recover over night and be good to go tomorrow.
See you on the trail,
Joshua Ganes
The Wedding Break
Greetings from Beaverdell,
It's Wednesday, August 15th and I'm a day away from rejoining the trail. I'm camping in Beaverdell tonight at Zach's Campground - the same as when I arrived here. It seems like I was just here. Maybe that's 'cause I was.
I got home in four stages. The first was a bus ride from Beaverdell to Kelowna. I called Rock Creek for the Greyhound on Saturday morning as I had been instructed when I arrived there. The bus was supposed to came at about 12:30pm but didn't show up until 1:10pm. Needless to say, I was getting kind of anxious. I was beginning to wonder if I'd somehow missed it. From there it was easy street to Kelowna.
I made an error in judgement concerning Kelowna. I should have realized that it would be difficult to find someplace on the Saturday of a summer long weekend. The second stage of my trip home was walking toward the airport while looking for a place to stay. I managed to find a dorm room in UBC's Okanagan campus, not far from the airport. After staying the night, it was a brief 30 minute walk to the airport.
The third stage of the journey was depressingly short. After getting through airport security and onto the plane, it was a 52 minute flight to Calgary. How could it be so short? My Dad meet me at the airport and took me to my new brother-in-law's place min Okatoks where my Mom and sister were waiting.
The final stage was the drive home to Camrose. We stopped in Airdrie along the way to visit family and friends at my cousin's gift opening. I repeated my stories many times, but was glad to see familiar faces and have someone to talk with. After leaving, we drove the rest of the way to Camrose while having a nice family chat.
The next days were spent preparing for the wedding and of course, attending the wedding itself. I enjoyed it greatly, but the stress of a wedding causes its own problems. In the end, everything turned out great.
The rest of the time was spent relaxing and preparing to go back. (Dad and Mom drove me back) On the drive here we took highway 3 and I pointed out all the paths I took and the details I could remember. It was quite amazing to see just how far I've walked. It's quite impressive what I've accomplished so far. Unfortunately, I'm also reminded of how much further I have to go. I will make it though.
It will be interesting to see how my body reacts tomorrow and in the next week. I'm looking forward to making more progress and seeing more sights.
See you on the trail,
Joshua Ganes
It's Wednesday, August 15th and I'm a day away from rejoining the trail. I'm camping in Beaverdell tonight at Zach's Campground - the same as when I arrived here. It seems like I was just here. Maybe that's 'cause I was.
I got home in four stages. The first was a bus ride from Beaverdell to Kelowna. I called Rock Creek for the Greyhound on Saturday morning as I had been instructed when I arrived there. The bus was supposed to came at about 12:30pm but didn't show up until 1:10pm. Needless to say, I was getting kind of anxious. I was beginning to wonder if I'd somehow missed it. From there it was easy street to Kelowna.
I made an error in judgement concerning Kelowna. I should have realized that it would be difficult to find someplace on the Saturday of a summer long weekend. The second stage of my trip home was walking toward the airport while looking for a place to stay. I managed to find a dorm room in UBC's Okanagan campus, not far from the airport. After staying the night, it was a brief 30 minute walk to the airport.
The third stage of the journey was depressingly short. After getting through airport security and onto the plane, it was a 52 minute flight to Calgary. How could it be so short? My Dad meet me at the airport and took me to my new brother-in-law's place min Okatoks where my Mom and sister were waiting.
The final stage was the drive home to Camrose. We stopped in Airdrie along the way to visit family and friends at my cousin's gift opening. I repeated my stories many times, but was glad to see familiar faces and have someone to talk with. After leaving, we drove the rest of the way to Camrose while having a nice family chat.
The next days were spent preparing for the wedding and of course, attending the wedding itself. I enjoyed it greatly, but the stress of a wedding causes its own problems. In the end, everything turned out great.
The rest of the time was spent relaxing and preparing to go back. (Dad and Mom drove me back) On the drive here we took highway 3 and I pointed out all the paths I took and the details I could remember. It was quite amazing to see just how far I've walked. It's quite impressive what I've accomplished so far. Unfortunately, I'm also reminded of how much further I have to go. I will make it though.
It will be interesting to see how my body reacts tomorrow and in the next week. I'm looking forward to making more progress and seeing more sights.
See you on the trail,
Joshua Ganes
Monday, August 6, 2007
Greetings from Camrose
Greetings from off the trail,
I've made it to Camrose after some interesting travels to Kelowna and Calgary. I've had a chance to see many friends and family and will see more on Friday at Leah's wedding. I'll be returning to the trail after the weekend and will continue pressing on towards Vancouver.
One of my goals has been accomplished even beyond my wildest expectations. On June 21, 2007 I weighed in at a particularly unhealthy 312lbs. On August 5, 2007 my new weigh-in value was an amazing 257lbs. That makes a total of 55lbs lost over 46 days, averaging over 1 pound per day.
My blog is now fully up to date. Be sure to check back in a few weeks when my next updates from the trail should be arriving.
See you on the trail,
Joshua Ganes
I've made it to Camrose after some interesting travels to Kelowna and Calgary. I've had a chance to see many friends and family and will see more on Friday at Leah's wedding. I'll be returning to the trail after the weekend and will continue pressing on towards Vancouver.
One of my goals has been accomplished even beyond my wildest expectations. On June 21, 2007 I weighed in at a particularly unhealthy 312lbs. On August 5, 2007 my new weigh-in value was an amazing 257lbs. That makes a total of 55lbs lost over 46 days, averaging over 1 pound per day.
My blog is now fully up to date. Be sure to check back in a few weeks when my next updates from the trail should be arriving.
See you on the trail,
Joshua Ganes
Fri August 3, 2007 - Day 42
Greetings from the trail,
Today was my last day of making actual progress on the trail before returning home for my sister's wedding.
Just past my campsite, the trail had a sign posted that said it was closed to all traffic. I can't say why this was, but I figured I'd follow along so I hiked up the hill to highway 33 nearby. I decided to follow along the highway instead of wasting time trying to get back onto the trail further down the road. I followed it the rest of the way to Beaverdell ~18km.
The road has regular traffic, but is not nearly as busy as highway 3. It was tucked in behind a mountain which provided shade for most of the morning. By the end of the day, I was ready to be done and was glad to see Beaverdell up the road. I had a great feeling of accomplishment having made it to this interim point of the trip and am now looking forward to making my way home to spend some time with my family and let my body recover from the past 6 weeks.
See you in Alberta,
Joshua Ganes
Today was my last day of making actual progress on the trail before returning home for my sister's wedding.
Just past my campsite, the trail had a sign posted that said it was closed to all traffic. I can't say why this was, but I figured I'd follow along so I hiked up the hill to highway 33 nearby. I decided to follow along the highway instead of wasting time trying to get back onto the trail further down the road. I followed it the rest of the way to Beaverdell ~18km.
The road has regular traffic, but is not nearly as busy as highway 3. It was tucked in behind a mountain which provided shade for most of the morning. By the end of the day, I was ready to be done and was glad to see Beaverdell up the road. I had a great feeling of accomplishment having made it to this interim point of the trip and am now looking forward to making my way home to spend some time with my family and let my body recover from the past 6 weeks.
See you in Alberta,
Joshua Ganes
Thu August 2, 2007 - Day 41
Greetings from the trail,
Today's trip had me following a little more road than I would have liked and facing a little more sun and heat than I would have liked, but was otherwise quite ordinary.
One interesting spot was nearing the end of my hike when I came across a privately owned free rest stop. The gentleman who owns the place is 85 years old and loves to meet the people passing through on the trail. He brought down fresh ice water to drink and chatted with me for a while about my trip and what was ahead in the days to come. It was a great place to stop, I wish there were more like it along the way.
By the end of the day I was really hurting, but the last few kilometers featured some impressive canyon areas and white water. I'm camping on the side of the river. It's a nice little spot, but the sand is getting into everything.
See you on the trail,
Joshua Ganes
Today's trip had me following a little more road than I would have liked and facing a little more sun and heat than I would have liked, but was otherwise quite ordinary.
One interesting spot was nearing the end of my hike when I came across a privately owned free rest stop. The gentleman who owns the place is 85 years old and loves to meet the people passing through on the trail. He brought down fresh ice water to drink and chatted with me for a while about my trip and what was ahead in the days to come. It was a great place to stop, I wish there were more like it along the way.
By the end of the day I was really hurting, but the last few kilometers featured some impressive canyon areas and white water. I'm camping on the side of the river. It's a nice little spot, but the sand is getting into everything.
See you on the trail,
Joshua Ganes
Wed August 1, 2007 - Day 40
Greetings from the trail,
After tonight's sleep I'll have been out here 40 days and 40 nights. That's a long time!
Today I reached the heart of the territory of selfish land owners. This is where one owner bulldozed over the public right-of-way running through his property and placed signs telling travellers to go around on the road. This was at least better than the owner who placed a large fence across the trail with no signage whatsoever. I was forced to cut across his neighbor's private land to work my way around. According to the book, there's a few similar situations just north of here as it advises an alternate route along the highway.
I continued past Rock Creek and into Kettle River Provincial Park. My feet are killing me, but I must press on to catch my bus in Beaverdell.
I got the last campsite of the day today. Numbered for Sidney Crosby, site #87 is nowhere near as impressive as the player. It didn't matter much as I spent the later part of the day swimming in the river waiting for the sun to go down so I could go to sleep.
See you on the trail,
Joshua Ganes
After tonight's sleep I'll have been out here 40 days and 40 nights. That's a long time!
Today I reached the heart of the territory of selfish land owners. This is where one owner bulldozed over the public right-of-way running through his property and placed signs telling travellers to go around on the road. This was at least better than the owner who placed a large fence across the trail with no signage whatsoever. I was forced to cut across his neighbor's private land to work my way around. According to the book, there's a few similar situations just north of here as it advises an alternate route along the highway.
I continued past Rock Creek and into Kettle River Provincial Park. My feet are killing me, but I must press on to catch my bus in Beaverdell.
I got the last campsite of the day today. Numbered for Sidney Crosby, site #87 is nowhere near as impressive as the player. It didn't matter much as I spent the later part of the day swimming in the river waiting for the sun to go down so I could go to sleep.
See you on the trail,
Joshua Ganes
Tue July 31, 2007 - Day 39
Greetings from the trail,
Long ago I predicted I'd cross from July to August in the town of Midway. Today (the 31st) I made it to Midway to prove myself a great prophetic prognosticator. Of course, I also added an extra 8km to my trip to make certain.
The trip was decent, but could have stood some extra shade along the later part of the day. All in all, the rail grade is holding up to most of my lofty expectations.
I met a couple of gentlemen in town who were biking from Kelowna to Castlegar. They seemed impressed by my ambitious trek. One of them, recognizing my Oilers hat, asked me what I know about Shawn Horcoff. It seems he knows the Horcoff family.
The other accomplishment of the day was to make plans for my return to Camrose for my sister's wedding. I will continue walking 4 days to Beaverdell where I will catch a Greyhound bus up to Kelowna to fly to Calgary on Sunday morning. My parents will be in Cowtown that weekend for my cousin Matt's renewal of wedding vows. They'll take me the rest of the way home.
I'm coming home slightly earlier than I wanted, but the difference of a couple more days on the trail would be hundreds of dollars more than my cheap flight. The tentative return plan it to drive with my parents as they visit BC for vacation. With over a week off, I hope I don't lose my groove.
As I crossed the Old Cascade Highway a few days back, I passed from the West Kootenay to the Boundary region. Midway is the border between the Boundary and Okanagan regions. With the Rocky Mountain region already complete, that makes 419 + 109 + 104 = 632km travelled so far according to my book.
See you on the trail,
Joshua Ganes
Long ago I predicted I'd cross from July to August in the town of Midway. Today (the 31st) I made it to Midway to prove myself a great prophetic prognosticator. Of course, I also added an extra 8km to my trip to make certain.
The trip was decent, but could have stood some extra shade along the later part of the day. All in all, the rail grade is holding up to most of my lofty expectations.
I met a couple of gentlemen in town who were biking from Kelowna to Castlegar. They seemed impressed by my ambitious trek. One of them, recognizing my Oilers hat, asked me what I know about Shawn Horcoff. It seems he knows the Horcoff family.
The other accomplishment of the day was to make plans for my return to Camrose for my sister's wedding. I will continue walking 4 days to Beaverdell where I will catch a Greyhound bus up to Kelowna to fly to Calgary on Sunday morning. My parents will be in Cowtown that weekend for my cousin Matt's renewal of wedding vows. They'll take me the rest of the way home.
I'm coming home slightly earlier than I wanted, but the difference of a couple more days on the trail would be hundreds of dollars more than my cheap flight. The tentative return plan it to drive with my parents as they visit BC for vacation. With over a week off, I hope I don't lose my groove.
As I crossed the Old Cascade Highway a few days back, I passed from the West Kootenay to the Boundary region. Midway is the border between the Boundary and Okanagan regions. With the Rocky Mountain region already complete, that makes 419 + 109 + 104 = 632km travelled so far according to my book.
See you on the trail,
Joshua Ganes
Mon July 30, 2007 - Day 38
Greetings from the trail,
As I wrote about a few days ago, I originally imagined the TCT differently than reality has presented so far. Most of today was pretty close to my original conception.
I started off on a bad foot by trying to match my book to the town to find the start of the trail out of town. After mucking around a bit and asking for directions, I was off for another day.
The trail continued up all day, but with the grade so low I barely noticed. A few hours in, I was on a cliff side overlooking the valley. The trail was reasonably well-covered by trees and made for a very pleasant hike.
I went through my first two tunnels today and was impressed by their size. It was very dark in the middle. I'm camping just east of the historic site of the former town called Eholt.
See you on the trail,
Joshua Ganes
As I wrote about a few days ago, I originally imagined the TCT differently than reality has presented so far. Most of today was pretty close to my original conception.
I started off on a bad foot by trying to match my book to the town to find the start of the trail out of town. After mucking around a bit and asking for directions, I was off for another day.
The trail continued up all day, but with the grade so low I barely noticed. A few hours in, I was on a cliff side overlooking the valley. The trail was reasonably well-covered by trees and made for a very pleasant hike.
I went through my first two tunnels today and was impressed by their size. It was very dark in the middle. I'm camping just east of the historic site of the former town called Eholt.
See you on the trail,
Joshua Ganes
Sun July 29, 2007 - Day 37
Greetings from the trail,
As Futurama's Professor Farnsworth would say, "'Huzzah's are in order." After a short walk beside the highway, I finally reached the Kettle Valley Rail Trail. This long stretch of abandoned railway will be my home for the majority of the remaining journey.
The abandoned rail line is simply a gravel right-of-way winding through the countryside. Occasionally there's a detour into a city or onto a road, but over 90% of the time it's just the rail grade. This is great as I no longer need to dodge cars. I also know that I need not fear steep grades. As I said previously, trains don't like hills.
All that being said, there's one thing I didn't like about today's path: it did not have much shade. It was just a path through wide open fields for much of the day. I hope that changes in the days to come.
I'm camping at the municipal campground in Grand Forks. It's not the greatest spot, but there's plenty of large trees nearby to hide under.
I was hoping to get a decent restaurant lunch today, but found that most places in the city center were closed. It was nice to see a town that is calm enough to close down on Sunday. It was, unfortunately, also inconvenient.
See you on the trail,
Joshua Ganes
As Futurama's Professor Farnsworth would say, "'Huzzah's are in order." After a short walk beside the highway, I finally reached the Kettle Valley Rail Trail. This long stretch of abandoned railway will be my home for the majority of the remaining journey.
The abandoned rail line is simply a gravel right-of-way winding through the countryside. Occasionally there's a detour into a city or onto a road, but over 90% of the time it's just the rail grade. This is great as I no longer need to dodge cars. I also know that I need not fear steep grades. As I said previously, trains don't like hills.
All that being said, there's one thing I didn't like about today's path: it did not have much shade. It was just a path through wide open fields for much of the day. I hope that changes in the days to come.
I'm camping at the municipal campground in Grand Forks. It's not the greatest spot, but there's plenty of large trees nearby to hide under.
I was hoping to get a decent restaurant lunch today, but found that most places in the city center were closed. It was nice to see a town that is calm enough to close down on Sunday. It was, unfortunately, also inconvenient.
See you on the trail,
Joshua Ganes
Sat July 28, 2007 - Day 36
Greetings from the trail,
It turns out that I did only need 1 more day to reach Christina Lake, and the trail was kinder (though not by much). I skipped my journal entry yesterday, and I think you'll soon see why.
The day started as expected: uphill. I climbed and climbed, taking many long rests along the way. After climbing up very steep grades and back and forth on switchbacks all morning from just after 6:00am to nearly noon, I finally reached the summit. All that climbing brought me a grand total of 10km. After that, I was looking forward to fopping at another rec sit ~8km ahead according to my map.
I reached the spot where the map showed the rec site about 2 hours later. The climb down was a welcome change from toiling uphill, but still wore on my feet. I did not see the campsite, but continued, hopeful that it was just around the next bend. After 2 more kilometers, I was convinced I'd missed it. A sign along the road read 12km, which I took to mean the distance to Christina Lake. At least I got that right.
After another 3 hours of walking plus a few short breaks, I was finally in Christina Lake. I found a lousy campground nearby and bought a couple of cold drinks at the Esso station. I set up camp in the massive heat of the evening. In total, I travelled over 32km over top of a freakin' mountain from 6:05am to 4:55pm.
At least the campground had a decent shower. I went in for a cool shower to relieve the heat and stress of the day. It was nice to cool off, but I could barely stand up in the stall - my feet were so tired.
After a decent night's sleep it was clear that my feet were still recovering from the previous day. I let myself sleep in a little longer than usual and trotted off to have a restaurant breakfast. It was nothing fancy, but it was good to feel full.
I returned to camp and packed up, feeling quite confident I could find a better place. A kilometer or two down the road I found just what I was looking for. For $10 I'm staying in a site just above the campground's river beach area. The swimming is excellent, with cliff jumping available across the river (my favourite).
See you on the trail,
Joshua Ganes
It turns out that I did only need 1 more day to reach Christina Lake, and the trail was kinder (though not by much). I skipped my journal entry yesterday, and I think you'll soon see why.
The day started as expected: uphill. I climbed and climbed, taking many long rests along the way. After climbing up very steep grades and back and forth on switchbacks all morning from just after 6:00am to nearly noon, I finally reached the summit. All that climbing brought me a grand total of 10km. After that, I was looking forward to fopping at another rec sit ~8km ahead according to my map.
I reached the spot where the map showed the rec site about 2 hours later. The climb down was a welcome change from toiling uphill, but still wore on my feet. I did not see the campsite, but continued, hopeful that it was just around the next bend. After 2 more kilometers, I was convinced I'd missed it. A sign along the road read 12km, which I took to mean the distance to Christina Lake. At least I got that right.
After another 3 hours of walking plus a few short breaks, I was finally in Christina Lake. I found a lousy campground nearby and bought a couple of cold drinks at the Esso station. I set up camp in the massive heat of the evening. In total, I travelled over 32km over top of a freakin' mountain from 6:05am to 4:55pm.
At least the campground had a decent shower. I went in for a cool shower to relieve the heat and stress of the day. It was nice to cool off, but I could barely stand up in the stall - my feet were so tired.
After a decent night's sleep it was clear that my feet were still recovering from the previous day. I let myself sleep in a little longer than usual and trotted off to have a restaurant breakfast. It was nothing fancy, but it was good to feel full.
I returned to camp and packed up, feeling quite confident I could find a better place. A kilometer or two down the road I found just what I was looking for. For $10 I'm staying in a site just above the campground's river beach area. The swimming is excellent, with cliff jumping available across the river (my favourite).
See you on the trail,
Joshua Ganes
Thu July 26, 2007 - Day 34
Greetings from the trail,
Today was one of the most unusual days on the trail so far. It started with how I woke up. I'd camped on a bit of a slope, but nearest to flat as I could find on the side of the mountain. When I woke up, I found that the tent base had become a wall as I'd rolled the tent in the night.
Recovering from that, I set off to continue my descent down the narrow trail. The trek was extremely slow moving as I fought gravity over the steep slopes all the way down. I wanted to take no chances of sending myself tumbling down the mountainside.
When I reached the bottom, the trail intersected with a dirt road and had no trace on the other side. This was contract to the book, which showed the trail continuing straight across. I continued cautiously, following a series of white marking flags and nearly completely overgrown trail up another large hill. I nearly lost the trail several times before it finally opened up into a properly marked, clear path.
When I first imagined the TCT through BC - before I ever set foot on the trail - I imagined it to be like many of the hiking trails I've been on for short, 1-day hikes. I imagined tall cedars and pines blocking out the sun around a wide, clear trail progressing ever onwards toward my destination of Vancouver. I already know this image was not entirely true, but I imagined it was a lot closer than reality has proved over the last 34 days. Anyhow, this short piece of trail finally matched my imagination nearly spot-on. I found myself revelling in its exquisite goodness.
Shortly after that, the trail rejoined the gravel road that I followed yesterday and I began climbing again toward the Santa Rosa Summit. I stopped at the Santa Rosa recreational campground, which is very nicely shaded with a freezing cold stream running by.
I doubt I made it over 12km today, but it took all day to get here. There's a chance I'll make it to Christina Lake tomorrow, but only if the trail is kinder.
See you on the trail,
Joshua Ganes
Today was one of the most unusual days on the trail so far. It started with how I woke up. I'd camped on a bit of a slope, but nearest to flat as I could find on the side of the mountain. When I woke up, I found that the tent base had become a wall as I'd rolled the tent in the night.
Recovering from that, I set off to continue my descent down the narrow trail. The trek was extremely slow moving as I fought gravity over the steep slopes all the way down. I wanted to take no chances of sending myself tumbling down the mountainside.
When I reached the bottom, the trail intersected with a dirt road and had no trace on the other side. This was contract to the book, which showed the trail continuing straight across. I continued cautiously, following a series of white marking flags and nearly completely overgrown trail up another large hill. I nearly lost the trail several times before it finally opened up into a properly marked, clear path.
When I first imagined the TCT through BC - before I ever set foot on the trail - I imagined it to be like many of the hiking trails I've been on for short, 1-day hikes. I imagined tall cedars and pines blocking out the sun around a wide, clear trail progressing ever onwards toward my destination of Vancouver. I already know this image was not entirely true, but I imagined it was a lot closer than reality has proved over the last 34 days. Anyhow, this short piece of trail finally matched my imagination nearly spot-on. I found myself revelling in its exquisite goodness.
Shortly after that, the trail rejoined the gravel road that I followed yesterday and I began climbing again toward the Santa Rosa Summit. I stopped at the Santa Rosa recreational campground, which is very nicely shaded with a freezing cold stream running by.
I doubt I made it over 12km today, but it took all day to get here. There's a chance I'll make it to Christina Lake tomorrow, but only if the trail is kinder.
See you on the trail,
Joshua Ganes
Sunday, August 5, 2007
Wed July 25, 2007 - Day 33
Greetings from the trail,
I missed making an entry yesterday, but I think you'll soon understand why.
Yesterday was characterized by 3 choices. The first of those choices I handled poorly. When I woke up, I was still tired from the combination of too much reading and too much heat. It was too hot to sleep. Pam offered to take me back right away, or wait a few hours 'til she returned. My laziness kicked in and I decided to rest and read.
The second of my choices was excellent. I got into Trail a little before 10:00am and was planning to walk up the hill ~12km to Rossland. When I was the sign flash 33 degrees Celsius, I changed my mind and decided to hide in the shade and read. I crossed the bridge to the shady and cool Gyro Park and spent the afternoon reading in the shade. I finished the book a little after 6:00pm as I was also enjoying a live musical performance in the park. I can scarcely remember a more relaxing time.
My last choice was dangerous and could have worked out very poorly. In the end it turned out all right. I could simply have made my way back to the campground nearby and gotten an early start, instead I decided to try to press on with the temperature dropping and the sun still up. It seemed like a good idea at the time...
The sun set more quickly than I'd anticipated and the hill was steep and long. As time wore on, I grew increasingly concerned about making it and increasingly frustrated by the stupidity of the drivers who seemed incapable of grasping the concept of changing to the inner of their two available lanes.
When I finally made it into camp, I was very relieved and carrying my flashlight. Luckily, there was no need to check in, as it was getting late. By the time I got into bed, the night air was getting cool. It made for one of the best night's sleep I've had out here on the trail.
This morning I woke up later than usual, but pressed on to hike up the Old Cascade Highway. Another uphill stretch for 12km before reaching the summit.
Part way up I was getting hot and tired, so I stopped at the side of the road to lay down. When I looked up after a while there was a bear standing by my gear about 20-30ft away. I was very surprised and a little scared as I jumped up and grabbed a branch. The bear looked surprised as well and quickly ran off in the opposite direction. That one got my heart going.
I've now crossed the Cascade Summit and am camping at the edge of the Dewdney Trail. It's nice to be on a real trail again.
See you on the trail,
Joshua Ganes
I missed making an entry yesterday, but I think you'll soon understand why.
Yesterday was characterized by 3 choices. The first of those choices I handled poorly. When I woke up, I was still tired from the combination of too much reading and too much heat. It was too hot to sleep. Pam offered to take me back right away, or wait a few hours 'til she returned. My laziness kicked in and I decided to rest and read.
The second of my choices was excellent. I got into Trail a little before 10:00am and was planning to walk up the hill ~12km to Rossland. When I was the sign flash 33 degrees Celsius, I changed my mind and decided to hide in the shade and read. I crossed the bridge to the shady and cool Gyro Park and spent the afternoon reading in the shade. I finished the book a little after 6:00pm as I was also enjoying a live musical performance in the park. I can scarcely remember a more relaxing time.
My last choice was dangerous and could have worked out very poorly. In the end it turned out all right. I could simply have made my way back to the campground nearby and gotten an early start, instead I decided to try to press on with the temperature dropping and the sun still up. It seemed like a good idea at the time...
The sun set more quickly than I'd anticipated and the hill was steep and long. As time wore on, I grew increasingly concerned about making it and increasingly frustrated by the stupidity of the drivers who seemed incapable of grasping the concept of changing to the inner of their two available lanes.
When I finally made it into camp, I was very relieved and carrying my flashlight. Luckily, there was no need to check in, as it was getting late. By the time I got into bed, the night air was getting cool. It made for one of the best night's sleep I've had out here on the trail.
This morning I woke up later than usual, but pressed on to hike up the Old Cascade Highway. Another uphill stretch for 12km before reaching the summit.
Part way up I was getting hot and tired, so I stopped at the side of the road to lay down. When I looked up after a while there was a bear standing by my gear about 20-30ft away. I was very surprised and a little scared as I jumped up and grabbed a branch. The bear looked surprised as well and quickly ran off in the opposite direction. That one got my heart going.
I've now crossed the Cascade Summit and am camping at the edge of the Dewdney Trail. It's nice to be on a real trail again.
See you on the trail,
Joshua Ganes
Mon July 23, 2007 - Day 31
Greetings from the trail,
As I mentioned yesterday, today was a big hike. I decided to get going as early as possible and was on the road at 4:50am. It was a good idea with such a hot day and more climbing than I expected. I couldn't tell you why the road climbed so high above the reservoir, it seemed totally unnecessary.
After climbing up and out and back down to the highway, I was still left with several kilometers into Trail along the highway. As I passed the industrial area south of town a flashing sign reported the time and temperature: 8:36am, 26 degrees Celsius. It was then that I knew I was in for a really hot day.
After a while I got into a more populated area. The first shopping place I saw was a Wal-Mart. I was getting hot, so I sat in the store's shade drinking 35 cent Wal-Mart pop. I finished off 3 for a total of $1.05. I love cheap pop! I then went inside and found some food and, more importantly, a copy of Harry Potter.
I completed my hike into Trail and stopped for lunch in McDonald's where I called the Lyttles. As I couldn't reach them right away, I decided to find a nice spot to read my new book.
Later in the day Pam called me and arranged to take me to their place for the night. While I was waiting for her to pick me up, I saw another flashing time and temperature sign: 3:34pm, 41 degrees Celsius. Never before have I seen a temperature in the 40s without a minus sign in front. I hope never to see either again.
I went to the Lyttle's place and talked and had supper. Later I watch a little news on their TV and grabbed a refreshing, cool shower. I'm off to bed now, probably to read a couple of chapter of Harry Potter first.
See you on the trail,
Joshua Ganes
As I mentioned yesterday, today was a big hike. I decided to get going as early as possible and was on the road at 4:50am. It was a good idea with such a hot day and more climbing than I expected. I couldn't tell you why the road climbed so high above the reservoir, it seemed totally unnecessary.
After climbing up and out and back down to the highway, I was still left with several kilometers into Trail along the highway. As I passed the industrial area south of town a flashing sign reported the time and temperature: 8:36am, 26 degrees Celsius. It was then that I knew I was in for a really hot day.
After a while I got into a more populated area. The first shopping place I saw was a Wal-Mart. I was getting hot, so I sat in the store's shade drinking 35 cent Wal-Mart pop. I finished off 3 for a total of $1.05. I love cheap pop! I then went inside and found some food and, more importantly, a copy of Harry Potter.
I completed my hike into Trail and stopped for lunch in McDonald's where I called the Lyttles. As I couldn't reach them right away, I decided to find a nice spot to read my new book.
Later in the day Pam called me and arranged to take me to their place for the night. While I was waiting for her to pick me up, I saw another flashing time and temperature sign: 3:34pm, 41 degrees Celsius. Never before have I seen a temperature in the 40s without a minus sign in front. I hope never to see either again.
I went to the Lyttle's place and talked and had supper. Later I watch a little news on their TV and grabbed a refreshing, cool shower. I'm off to bed now, probably to read a couple of chapter of Harry Potter first.
See you on the trail,
Joshua Ganes
Sun July 22, 2007 - Day 30
Greetings from the trail,
Today's hike was a pleasant change from the past week or so. I walked along the Pend d'Orielle Reservoir along a relatively unused dirt road. The views over the reservoir were excellent. Unfortunately, the heat was catching up with me by the end of the day.
I camped at the Buckley Campground run for free by BC Hydro. It's got great access to the reservoir for swimming, but not a lot of shade. I found enough to make do with, however.
I also met an interesting, and very drunk guy who claimed to be on leave from the army. He was quite a charmer to those camping around me, but had a personality that quickly put me off. It made for some amusement for a while 'til he argued with his friend over the keys to drive home.
I'm afraid I've left myself a considerable hike to Trail, which I plan to reach tomorrow. I'm supposed to meet some old family friends - Wayne and Pam Lyttle. They have offered to feed me and to put a roof over my head for a night. Who am I to turn down such an offer after a full month out here on the trail?
The other good thing about getting to Trail is that I should be able to buy a copy of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Ever since watching the Order of the Phoenix in Creston, I've been eager to read the final book.
See you on the trail,
Joshua Ganes
Today's hike was a pleasant change from the past week or so. I walked along the Pend d'Orielle Reservoir along a relatively unused dirt road. The views over the reservoir were excellent. Unfortunately, the heat was catching up with me by the end of the day.
I camped at the Buckley Campground run for free by BC Hydro. It's got great access to the reservoir for swimming, but not a lot of shade. I found enough to make do with, however.
I also met an interesting, and very drunk guy who claimed to be on leave from the army. He was quite a charmer to those camping around me, but had a personality that quickly put me off. It made for some amusement for a while 'til he argued with his friend over the keys to drive home.
I'm afraid I've left myself a considerable hike to Trail, which I plan to reach tomorrow. I'm supposed to meet some old family friends - Wayne and Pam Lyttle. They have offered to feed me and to put a roof over my head for a night. Who am I to turn down such an offer after a full month out here on the trail?
The other good thing about getting to Trail is that I should be able to buy a copy of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Ever since watching the Order of the Phoenix in Creston, I've been eager to read the final book.
See you on the trail,
Joshua Ganes
Sat July 21, 2007 - Day 29
Greetings from the trail,
I woke up early today and got on the road by 5:15am. That may be the earliest start to date. The trail continued downward for some distance until I hit the highway 6 junction. I then followed highway 6 south to the Nelway border crossing. I made it to within 50ft of the border, but didn't want to cause trouble by trying to get into the US for just a moment.
I travelled about 20km today. My legs are pretty sore from the last couple days, so I'm hoping they'll heal with some well-earned rest.
One final note is that as I crossed the pass yesterday, I finally left what my book calls the "Rocky Mountain Region." The book says it is 419km long, though I would argue for a little more. I'm now in the "West Kootenay Region" which is much shorter. I plan to cross it in 4-5 days.
See you on the trail,
Joshua Ganes
I woke up early today and got on the road by 5:15am. That may be the earliest start to date. The trail continued downward for some distance until I hit the highway 6 junction. I then followed highway 6 south to the Nelway border crossing. I made it to within 50ft of the border, but didn't want to cause trouble by trying to get into the US for just a moment.
I travelled about 20km today. My legs are pretty sore from the last couple days, so I'm hoping they'll heal with some well-earned rest.
One final note is that as I crossed the pass yesterday, I finally left what my book calls the "Rocky Mountain Region." The book says it is 419km long, though I would argue for a little more. I'm now in the "West Kootenay Region" which is much shorter. I plan to cross it in 4-5 days.
See you on the trail,
Joshua Ganes
Fri July 20, 2007 - Day 28
Greetings from the trail,
Today was a tale of two days, or portions of a day anyhow. The first half of the day started at 6:15am and lasted to 12:00 noon. I continued struggling up the hill, but did not have the energy of yesterday's climb. I took more and longer rests than on any other day on the trail so far. When I reached the summit, I rested at a picnic table and made myself a warm lunch using my camp stove.
The second half of the day was all downhill, and I felt energized by my lunch. It started at 1:00pm and ended at about 5:00pm. This was certainly my longest day on the trail yet. However, I still only covered slightly over 20km. After such a day, a nice rest would be welcome. Unfortunately, my campsite today is less than ideal. Oh well, time for sleep.
See you on the trail,
Joshua Ganes
Today was a tale of two days, or portions of a day anyhow. The first half of the day started at 6:15am and lasted to 12:00 noon. I continued struggling up the hill, but did not have the energy of yesterday's climb. I took more and longer rests than on any other day on the trail so far. When I reached the summit, I rested at a picnic table and made myself a warm lunch using my camp stove.
The second half of the day was all downhill, and I felt energized by my lunch. It started at 1:00pm and ended at about 5:00pm. This was certainly my longest day on the trail yet. However, I still only covered slightly over 20km. After such a day, a nice rest would be welcome. Unfortunately, my campsite today is less than ideal. Oh well, time for sleep.
See you on the trail,
Joshua Ganes
Thu July 19, 2007 - Day 27
Greetings from the trail,
Today started out great. It rained overnight and continued to lightly sprinkle in the morning. The rain made the entire forest smell and look richer and thicker than it had before. The mist hung low and covered some of the trees. I love that.
Along my trek I've climbed a number of hills. The particularly long or steep ones I've called "the hill of death" as I struggled toward the top. None compare to today's hill of death. It started right out of camp and hasn't ended yet. There have been grades as high as 8% and the hill kept going up all day. Even with the hill I made ~22km today, so I'm quite proud of myself.
With hills come great views. I've seen a lot of them today looking across the valley and down toward Summit Creek, which runs beside the highway.
See you on the trail,
Joshua Ganes
Today started out great. It rained overnight and continued to lightly sprinkle in the morning. The rain made the entire forest smell and look richer and thicker than it had before. The mist hung low and covered some of the trees. I love that.
Along my trek I've climbed a number of hills. The particularly long or steep ones I've called "the hill of death" as I struggled toward the top. None compare to today's hill of death. It started right out of camp and hasn't ended yet. There have been grades as high as 8% and the hill kept going up all day. Even with the hill I made ~22km today, so I'm quite proud of myself.
With hills come great views. I've seen a lot of them today looking across the valley and down toward Summit Creek, which runs beside the highway.
See you on the trail,
Joshua Ganes
Wed July 18, 2007 - Day 26
Greetings from the trail,
I'll start with yesterday evening. My aunt showed up a little before 6:00pm and took me out to a nice dinner. I had streak, prawns, a baked potato, and vegetables. There may be something I'm forgetting. Anyhow, it was very good.
Better than the meal was the chance to visit with someone I know. I've had a lot of thoughts and experiences so far. It was nice to have someone to share them with. Thanks again Auntie Shirley!
I only walked ~13-14km today to the Summit Creek campsite. The guidebook said ti was a nice place to camp, but reminded me to bring the mosquito spray. They were right about one thing: there's lots of mosquitoes.
The camp is quite an eerie place. It appears to have been abandoned for several years. There are many structures that have fallen into disrepair. This included a fully plumbed bathroom that has been taken over by animals and what appears to be an old bridge crossing the creek. There's a rather imposing set of concrete steps leading up, with two large broken beams set in the top. At the back of the stairs are two sturdy-looking, metal eye-hooks. On the other side of the creek it appears to have a twin. I can only assume this was once a cable bridge over the creek.
Anyhow, it's warm here and tomorrow I start up the "Kootenay Pass." The forecast is cooler for tomorrow. I hope it holds true.
See you on the trail,
Joshua Ganes
I'll start with yesterday evening. My aunt showed up a little before 6:00pm and took me out to a nice dinner. I had streak, prawns, a baked potato, and vegetables. There may be something I'm forgetting. Anyhow, it was very good.
Better than the meal was the chance to visit with someone I know. I've had a lot of thoughts and experiences so far. It was nice to have someone to share them with. Thanks again Auntie Shirley!
I only walked ~13-14km today to the Summit Creek campsite. The guidebook said ti was a nice place to camp, but reminded me to bring the mosquito spray. They were right about one thing: there's lots of mosquitoes.
The camp is quite an eerie place. It appears to have been abandoned for several years. There are many structures that have fallen into disrepair. This included a fully plumbed bathroom that has been taken over by animals and what appears to be an old bridge crossing the creek. There's a rather imposing set of concrete steps leading up, with two large broken beams set in the top. At the back of the stairs are two sturdy-looking, metal eye-hooks. On the other side of the creek it appears to have a twin. I can only assume this was once a cable bridge over the creek.
Anyhow, it's warm here and tomorrow I start up the "Kootenay Pass." The forecast is cooler for tomorrow. I hope it holds true.
See you on the trail,
Joshua Ganes
Tue July 17, 2007 - Day 25
Greetings from the trail,
Today is a rest day. The past five days have taken their toll in the heat of the sun. I only walked a short distance across town to a campground. The hostel I stayed in was decent, but would have made leaving early tomorrow difficult.
I saw Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix last night. It was pretty decent and had some impressive special effects. I was most intrigued by the portrayal of Luna Lovegood. In the audio books, her character's voice and deliver are very unbelievable. I think I liked the movie character better as she seemed almost believable. Anyhow, it was nice to watch a movie.
I'm currently waiting for my laundry to finish. It'll be nice not to smell of rancidness for a change. I've done my best to keep things clean and fresh. Washing in a stream just doesn't cut it really.
The rest of the day will be spent hiding in the shade. My aunt Shirley will be driving to Airdrie, AB from Mission, BC and is planning to follow highway 3 so she can stop in Creston and meet me here. I expect to see her around supper time this evening. It'll be nice to see someone I know.
See you on the trail,
Joshua Ganes
Today is a rest day. The past five days have taken their toll in the heat of the sun. I only walked a short distance across town to a campground. The hostel I stayed in was decent, but would have made leaving early tomorrow difficult.
I saw Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix last night. It was pretty decent and had some impressive special effects. I was most intrigued by the portrayal of Luna Lovegood. In the audio books, her character's voice and deliver are very unbelievable. I think I liked the movie character better as she seemed almost believable. Anyhow, it was nice to watch a movie.
I'm currently waiting for my laundry to finish. It'll be nice not to smell of rancidness for a change. I've done my best to keep things clean and fresh. Washing in a stream just doesn't cut it really.
The rest of the day will be spent hiding in the shade. My aunt Shirley will be driving to Airdrie, AB from Mission, BC and is planning to follow highway 3 so she can stop in Creston and meet me here. I expect to see her around supper time this evening. It'll be nice to see someone I know.
See you on the trail,
Joshua Ganes
Mon July 16, 2007 - Day 24
Greetings from the trail,
Today I completed the 5-day trek from Cranbrook to Creston. 4 of those days went along highway 3. As best as I can figure, that's about 105km in 5 days. I'm pretty satisfied with myself today.
I'm staying at the Snoring Sasquatch Hostel today and it's still early in the day. I'm not sure what I'll do this evening - maybe I'll catch a movie at the local theatre.
I saw some fantastic views today as the highway climbed over the Goat River valley. The mountains here are covered by trees and, therefore, a little less spectacular than those at the start of the trip. Nonetheless, they are fantastic when you enter a narrow valley enclosed on all sides.
I was thinking today that I did not stress enough about the severity of the wind storm earlier in my trip by the town of Hosmer, just north of Fernie. People I've met have asked me about it for over a week following. Right through to Cranbrook, I've seen an abundance of freshly fallen trees. I can only assume they are a result of the storm. I hope nothing of the sort happens again while I'm out here.
I was also thinking today about the people I've seen more than once out here. There was the taxi driver I met north of Elkford who later spotted me in Sparwood. There was a truck driver who offered me a ride on day 3 or 4 and later stopped to ask me about my trip near Elko. There was the lady who I asked for a drink by Wapiti Lake. The next day she stopped to chat briefly half way to Bull River. There was a gentleman who simply said hello by Moyie Lake and then came to ask me about my trip at Yahk. The strangest of all may be the park attendant I discussed directions with at Moyie Lake Provincial Park. Two days later his wife, an attendant at Yahk Provincial Park, came and talked to me about my journey. It's quite amazing the way things go. I wonder how many more I'll meet along the way.
See you on the trail,
Joshua Ganes
Today I completed the 5-day trek from Cranbrook to Creston. 4 of those days went along highway 3. As best as I can figure, that's about 105km in 5 days. I'm pretty satisfied with myself today.
I'm staying at the Snoring Sasquatch Hostel today and it's still early in the day. I'm not sure what I'll do this evening - maybe I'll catch a movie at the local theatre.
I saw some fantastic views today as the highway climbed over the Goat River valley. The mountains here are covered by trees and, therefore, a little less spectacular than those at the start of the trip. Nonetheless, they are fantastic when you enter a narrow valley enclosed on all sides.
I was thinking today that I did not stress enough about the severity of the wind storm earlier in my trip by the town of Hosmer, just north of Fernie. People I've met have asked me about it for over a week following. Right through to Cranbrook, I've seen an abundance of freshly fallen trees. I can only assume they are a result of the storm. I hope nothing of the sort happens again while I'm out here.
I was also thinking today about the people I've seen more than once out here. There was the taxi driver I met north of Elkford who later spotted me in Sparwood. There was a truck driver who offered me a ride on day 3 or 4 and later stopped to ask me about my trip near Elko. There was the lady who I asked for a drink by Wapiti Lake. The next day she stopped to chat briefly half way to Bull River. There was a gentleman who simply said hello by Moyie Lake and then came to ask me about my trip at Yahk. The strangest of all may be the park attendant I discussed directions with at Moyie Lake Provincial Park. Two days later his wife, an attendant at Yahk Provincial Park, came and talked to me about my journey. It's quite amazing the way things go. I wonder how many more I'll meet along the way.
See you on the trail,
Joshua Ganes
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)